Upalni i hematotoksični potencijal metabolita plijesni Stachybotrys chartarum (Ehrenb.) Hughes u zatvorenim prostorijama

Mould Stachybotrys chartarum (Ehrenb.) Hughes is known to pose a health risk in indoor environments. Most of its strains can produce several intra- and extracellular trichothecene mycotoxins. Complex secondary metabolites of stachybotrys isolates from mouldy dwellings/public buildings in Slovakia were intratracheally instilled in Wistar male rats (4 μg in 0.2 mL of 0.2 % dimethylsulphoxide; diacetoxyscirpenol as the positive control). After three days, haematological parameters were measured in peripheral blood and infl ammatory response biomarkers in bronchoalveolar lavage fl uid (BALF), and the results were statistically analysed. Exometabolites proved to suppress red blood cell (RBC), decreasing the total RBC count, haemoglobin, and haematocrit. The exposed rats showed signifi cantly higher total BALF cell count, indicating infl ammation, lower alveolar macrophage counts, and increased granulocyte count related to the BALF cells. Due to haematotoxic and infl ammation-inducing properties, metabolites of S. chartarum can cause damage to the airways and haematological disorders in occupants of mouldy buildings.Plijesan Stachybotrys chartarum (Ehrenb.) Hughes poznata je kao rizični mikroorganizam u zatvorenim prostorijama. Većina njezinih sojeva može proizvesti nekoliko unutarstaničnih i izvanstaničnih trikotecenskih mikotoksina. Muškim Wistar štakorima instilirani su intratrahealno kompleksni sekundarni metaboliti stahibotrisa izolirani iz stambenih i javnih zgrada u Slovačkoj zahvaćenima plijesni (4 μg na 0,2 mL 0,2 %-tnog dimetilsulfoksida; dok se diacetoksiscirpenol rabio kao pozitivna kontrola). Tri dana kasnije izmjereni su hematološki parametri u perifernoj krvi te biopokazatelji upalnoga odgovora u bronhoalveolarnome ispirku te su rezultati obrađeni statistički. Pokazalo se da egzometaboliti suprimiraju eritrocite, smanjujući njihov ukupni broj, hemoglobin i hematokrit. Izloženi štakori imali su značajno veći broj stanica u bronhoalveolarnome ispirku, što upućuje na upalu, dok im je broj alveolarnih makrofaga bio manji, a broj granulocita povezanih sa stanicama u ispirku veći. Zbog svojih hematotoksičnih i upalnih svojstava S. chartarum može dovesti do oštećenja dišnih putova i poremećaja u krvotvornome sustavu osoba koje žive i/ili rade u zgradama zahvaćenima tom plijesni

Proposed nomenclature for Pseudallescheria, Scedosporium and related genera

As a result of fundamental changes in the International Code of Nomenclature on the use of separate names for sexual and asexual stages of fungi, generic names of many groups should be reconsidered. Members of the ECMM/ISHAM working group on Pseudallescheria/Scedosporium infections herein advocate a novel nomenclature for genera and species in Pseudallescheria, Scedosporium and allied taxa. The generic names Parascedosporium, Lomentospora, Petriella, Petriellopsis, and Scedosporium are proposed for a lineage within Microascaceae with mostly Scedosporium anamorphs producing slimy, annellidic conidia. Considering that Scedosporium has priority over Pseudallescheria and that Scedosporium prolificans is phylogenetically distinct from the other Scedosporium species, some name changes are proposed. Pseudallescheria minutispora and Petriellidium desertorum are renamed as Scedosporium minutisporum and S. desertorum, respectively. Scedosporium prolificans is renamed as Lomentospora prolificans

Izloženost alergenima plijesni u unutarnjem okolišu

Humid indoor environments may be colonised by allergenic fi lamentous microfungi (moulds), Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp., and Alternaria spp. in particular. Mould-induced respiratory diseases are a worldwide problem. In the last two decades, mould allergens and glucans have been used as markers of indoor exposure to moulds. Recently, mould allergens Alt a 1 (Alternaria alternata) and Asp f 1 (Aspergillus fumigatus) have been analysed in various environments (residential and occupational) with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, which use monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. Household Alt a 1 and Asp f 1 levels were usually under the limit of the method detection. By contrast, higher levels of mould allergens were found in environments with high levels of bioaerosols such as poultry farms and sawmills. Data on allergen Alt a 1 and Asp f 1 levels in agricultural settings may provide information on possible colonisation of respective moulds and point out to mould-related diseases in occupants.Vlažni, unutarnji prostori mogu biti kolonizirani alergogenim, filamentoznim mikrogljivicama (plijesni) uglavnom rodova Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium i Alternaria. Respiratorne bolesti uzrokovane plijesnima zdravstveni su problem diljem svijeta. U posljednja dva desetljeća, neki sastavni dijelovi plijesni kao alergeni i glukan rabe se kao pokazatelji izloženosti plijesni u unutarnjem okolišu. Nedavno su alergeni plijesni Alt a 1 (Alternaria alternata) i Asp f 1 (Aspergillus fumigatus) određivani u različitom okolišu (kućnom i profesionalnom) enzim-imunokemijskom metodom koja rabi monoklonska ili poliklonska antitijela. Razina Alt a 1 i Asp f 1 u kućnoj prašini ispod je granice detekcije. Nasuprot tomu, alergeni plijesni su određeni u okolišu s visokom razinom bioaerosola kao peradarnici i pilane. Razine alergena Alt a 1 i Asp f 1 u nekim poljoprivrednim objektima pružaju informaciju o mogućoj kolonizaciji plijesnima, što upućuje na moguće zdravstvene učinke kod zaposlenika

Fungal infections in animals: a patchwork of different situations

© Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology 2017. The importance of fungal infections in both human and animals has increased over the last decades. This article represents an overview of the different categories of fungal infections that can be encountered in animals originating from environmental sources without transmission to humans. In addition, the endemic infections with indirect transmission from the environment, the zoophilic fungal pathogens with near-direct transmission, the zoonotic fungi that can be directly transmitted from animals to humans, mycotoxicoses and antifungal resistance in animals will also be discussed. Opportunistic mycoses are responsible for a wide range of diseases from localized infections to fatal disseminated diseases, such as aspergillosis, mucormycosis, candidiasis, cryptococcosis and infections caused by melanized fungi. The amphibian fungal disease chytridiomycosis and the Bat White-nose syndrome are due to obligatory fungal pathogens. Zoonotic agents are naturally transmitted from vertebrate animals to humans and vice versa. The list of zoonotic fungal agents is limited but some species, like Microsporum canis and Sporothrix brasiliensis from cats, have a strong public health impact. Mycotoxins are defined as the chemicals of fungal origin being toxic for warm-blooded vertebrates. Intoxications by aflatoxins and ochratoxins represent a threat for both human and animal health. Resistance to antifungals can occur in different animal species that receive these drugs, although the true epidemiology of resistance in animals is unknown, and options to treat infections caused by resistant infections are limited